President Obama’s pick for Surgeon General is a Doctor from Alabama, Regina Benjamin. Sounds innocuous enough, but the controversy surrounding her recently is the fact that she is fairly overweight. By fairly I mean obviously. Critics have been slamming the would-be Surgeon General pick because of her weight, saying that she is unfit to tell Americans how to take care of themselves if she can’t take care of herself. Leaders, for years now, have been calling obesity in America a serious problem.

About 1980, the health and physical fitness of Americans began a downward spiral, as the rates of overweight and obesity began to climb. The nation now faces a growing public health epidemic, one that threat­ens the well-being of future generations. As the nation has become more urbanized, motorized, and screen-centered, an increasing number of peo­ple lead sedentary lives, and the rates of overweight and obesity continue to soar. The United States has the highest prevalence of obesity in the world. (The President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports)

Those who are backing Dr. Benjamin for Surgeon General (I can’t find the article. I will post it when I find it) are saying that, because of her weight issue, she is in a better position to give advice. She can tell people about the dangers of being overweight because she struggles with it herself. Now, don’t get me wrong, but isn’t that like saying the Drug-Czar should be a heroin-addicted, drug-addict, because he understands drugs. Or like saying the local police chief should be a convicted serial-killer because he understands the criminal mind. Maybe it’s just me, but I don’t want to go to a marriage counselor who has been married three times.

Obviously there are many pressing health issues in America besides obesity and she may be a perfect choice for them all, but don’t give me this crap about her being in a better position because of her weight (I don’t know where she stands on any issues so this isn’t an endorsement). Just admit you like her as Surgeon General despite it, not because of it, and I’ll respect your opinion much more.

So What

Now, what does this have to do with expectations of political leaders?

I remember in elementary school, being given some kind of President’s Physical Fitness Award –I don’t remember the exact title. But during P.E. we had certain things we had to do –pull-ups, sit-ups, etc..— in order to get this award. And it would have been weird to me for the President to ask all of us kids to be active if he wasn’t. Now, I was young and don’t remember if President Reagan was a very active man, but at his age he must have been in order to do the job of President.

I also don’t know whether the first President Bush was very active or not. But I do remember when Clinton jogged to McDonalds, and the infamous CigarGate, so I don’t think Clinton was all that health conscious. The second President Bush was very active and took his health extremely serious. To my knowledge, he didn’t drink or smoke and was either riding a bike or running every chance he got. Now with Obama as President I don’t know what his stance or views will be towards a healthy lifestyle. I know he smokes and drinks, now how much, who knows, but that is different than our last president. He and his family look to be in good shape, so we’ll see.

I say all of that to ask this: What do we expect out of our leaders? Do we expect them to be good role models? And then, what is a good role model? What do we want or not want them to do? Do we care whether or not the president or surgeon general or governor are obese or an alcoholic? Do we want our leaders to be monogamous? Do we care if he/she has a fling on the side as long as they are good at their job?

Do we treat our political leaders differently than we do our employees or co-workers? What if the top salesman in a large company was obese, do you think he would be fired? Of course not. How about if he was cheating on his wife? Nope, the company would care less as long as he is producing great results.

So, why do we expect so much of our leaders in office? And should we? Do the moral and “life” choices leaders make, give an indication of what kind of person they are?

I’m not going to reveal my opinion just yet…I want to hear from you. I’ll post again soon and finish this conversation.

royb

Holy Roller, by Julie Lyons, was a fantastic book. I didn’t know what to expect when I opened the book, but it was clear from the start, that this book was special. Having grown up in Pentecostal circles, this book hit right at home.

Throughout Holy Roller, I kept thinking this must be some kind of fiction. I was waiting for the punch line. But, luckily, this was a true “I call it as I see it” story from a writer sharing from her heart. The way the book is told from a personal experience, as opposed to just writing about something she’s never been through, kept me wanting to read more. She bares her soul throughout the book, even the dirty little secrets that she hoped, at the time, no one would ever find out.

The book chronicles her relationship with Christ, her job, her family, her church and her marriage. She holds nothing back, that I could tell, and gives us a bird’s-eye-view of how she dealt with each.

I highly recommend the book to everyone. This book is about Missions, loving people who most people won’t, sticking with a church even though it is hard, race relations, dealing with inner conflict, finding out where God wants you, and most of all, watching as God shows himself faithful in every situation, even though it may not be obvious at the time.

I recommend you buy this book and read it. You can buy it at Random House.

Summary:

Julie Lyons was working as a crime reporter when she followed a hunch into the South Dallas ghetto. She wasn’t hunting drug dealers, but drug addicts who had been supernaturally healed of their addictions. Was there a church in the most violent part of the city that prayed for addicts and got results?
            At The Body of Christ Assembly, a rundown church on an out-of-the-way street, Lyons found the story she was looking for. The minister welcomed criminals, prostitutes, and street people–anyone who needed God. He prayed for the sick, the addicted, and the demon-possessed, and people were supernaturally healed.
            Lyons’s story landed on the front page of the Dallas Times Herald. But she got much more than just a great story, she found an unlikely spiritual home. Though the parishioners at The Body of Christ Assembly are black and Pentecostal, and Lyons is white and from a traditional church background, she embraced their spirituality–that of “the Holy Ghost and fire.”
It’s all here in Holy Roller–the stories of people desperate for God’s help. And the actions of a God who doesn’t forget the people who need His power.

Biography:

Julie Lyons is an award-winning writer, editor and investigative reporter who for more than 11 years served as editor-in-chief of the Dallas Observer, an alternative weekly newspaper owned by Village Voice Media. She holds a master’s degree in journalism from Northwestern University and a B.A. in English from Seattle Pacific University. She and her husband, Larry Lyons Jr., live in Dallas with their son.

There are some things that I hear that affect me deep down inside. This is one of them.

Written by Gary Lamb of Revolution Church in Georgia, this letter is from a man broken by his own sin. I’ve read it a couple of times. And each time, it tears me up. Keep this guy, his wife and kids and ALL “church” leaders in your prayers.

Read the letter here.

royb

For the past couple of months I’ve had the privilege of worshiping with a Hispanic ministry, Victory Pointe.  Led by Pastor Manuel Flores, they meet Fridays and Sunday nights at 7 PM. I’ve gotten to know the pastor and praise team pretty well and have been asked to play drums with them. So far I’ve only played a couple of times, but it has been a fun couple of times.

I never really realized just how different the Hispanic culture was musically. The rhythm is so much different, but in a good way. Arturo, the worship leader, has been gracious in working with me and at least one song during the service will be a Spanish version of an American song and I can relax a little bit, but the rest of them I am learning. But, I’ll have to admit, I’m getting better.

The atmosphere is what I’ve come to enjoy. Their laid back, I’m-just-happy-to-be-here, attitude is refreshing, and I look forward to spending time with them and learning from them. The only draw back so far is the language barrier. I am not by any stretch of the imagination, fluent in Spanish. Heck, I can barely speak English good. But, I am learning the language as I go and am getting considerably better at understanding it. When it comes to playing in a group, body language goes along way, and is the same in any language. I am slowly being able to understand more and more Spanish and can start to follow the vocal directions better.

I think there is a drummer who is Hispanic that they are getting ready to give the reigns to, and that is awesome. I’ve heard him play and he is good. If and when that happens, they’ve asked me to play guitar. Honestly, I can’t wait. Playing the guitar with these guys would be exciting and humbling as well. I just want to help any way I can.

As for listening to the sermons, I’m getting better. I can pick out enough words that I understand the gist of the message. I have to listen very carefully for the Bible verses because he says them so fast, I can’t follow. I have to write them down and look them up as I can. But, I do have a translator on my Blackberry. So, if I hear a word or phrase that I don’t know the meaning of, I can enter it –assuming I spell it right— and figure out what it means. I get looks sometimes from people because I’m sure they think I’m texting during the sermon, but that’s life I guess.

God has blessed me with an incredible opportunity to get know a group of people that many here in Columbia, can’t. I don’t take that opportunity lightly and treasure the time I have with a wonderful group of fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.

Pray for Victory Point (Punta Victoria), that the people in the community will embrace them, that CWOC will continue to be a strong resource for them, and that God will use them to minister to a huge, vastly unreached, people group here in the Midlands of South Carolina.

royb